Honors American Literature (Tucker): Non-Fiction Parallel Reading List

Honors American Literature (Tucker): Non-fiction parallel reading list

Directions: Choose one of the following parallel reading books to read during the remainder of Unit 1. When you are finished reading the book, complete the assignment on the back.

1. The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore: Two kids named Wes Moore were born blocks apart within a year of each other. Both grew up fatherless in similar Baltimore neighborhoods and had difficult childhoods; both hung out on street corners with their crews; both ran into trouble with the police. How, then, did one grow up to be a Rhodes Scholar, decorated veteran, White House Fellow, and business leader, while the other ended up a convicted murderer serving a life sentence? Wes Moore, the author of this fascinating book, sets out to answer this profound question. In alternating narratives that take readers from heart-wrenching losses to moments of surprising redemption,The Other Wes Mooretells the story of a generation of boys trying to find their way in a hostile world."The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his."

1. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls: Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever. Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town -- and the family -- Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.

1. Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon KrakauerPat Tillman walked away from a multimillion-dollar NFL contract to join the Army and became an icon of post-9/11 patriotism. When he was killed in Afghanistan two years later, a legend was born. But the real Pat Tillman was much more remarkable, and considerably more complicated than the public knew. It is a stunning account of a remarkable young man's heroic life and death, from the bestselling author ofInto the Wild,Into Thin Air, andUnder the Banner of Heaven.

1. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell: In this stunning new book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different?His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band.Brilliant and entertaining,Outliersis a landmark work that will simultaneously delight and illuminate.

Assignment (60 points summative writing grade):

This is similar to a lab abstract you may have to write in college, where you write three paragraphs (four with the introductory paragraph) that may not be related, but cover different aspects required for a particular topic. Each paragraph needs to be labeled. The written portion must be typed and in MLA format. Points will be deducted if it is handwritten.

Paragraph 1: Label “Introduction”

Write a 5-7 sentence paragraph explaining the book you chose, why you chose it, and whether or not you enjoyed the book. You may use pronouns I, me, my in this section ONLY.

Paragraph 2: Label “Unit 1 Theme Connection”

Write a detailed paragraph explaining how your book connects to the theme of Unit 1 (Carpe Diem: Rebels and Dreamers). In your paragraph, cite three passages from the book that highlight the Unit 1 theme. Please make sure you explain thoroughly.

Paragraph 3: Label “Article summary”

Locate an article (it needs to be printed and attached to your project) that relates to your book. It does not have to be about your book, but something your book discusses. For example, Into the Wild is about Chris McCandless trying to survive in Alaska. So, an article about the dangers of living in Alaska or about poisonous plants or about how to properly take care of meat after you kill an animal would all be good topics to look up.

You will need to include a citation for your article at the end of this section. An example will be provided at a later date.

Once you find an article, read it and write a 7-8 sentence summary detailing the contents of the article. You do not need quoted from your article in your summary.

Paragraph 4: Label “Article Connection”

Write a paragraph connecting the information in your article to the book you chose. Here, make sure you include 2 quotes from the article and 2 quotes from the book showing how they connect to one another.

Bonus Visual (10% bonus added on to your final summative product grade):

Option 1: Create an original book cover for your book. It needs to include the title, author, summary on the back, reviews, visual, one key quote that sums up the overall theme of the text.

Option 2: Create an original movie poster. It needs to include the title, author, actors/actresses who will star in it, reviews, rating, visual, one key quote that sums up the overall theme of the text.

Extra Formative Grade Opportunity: If you complete the graphic organizer that walks you through the abstract as you read, it will be accepted for na extra 20 point formative grade. If you choose not to do it, it will not count against you and an X will be placed in Synergy for that assignment. DUE Friday, February 10 at the beginning of class.

Due Date:The assignment will be accepted no later than Friday, February 17 at 3:30. That gives you four weeks to obtain the book, read it, and complete the assignment.